The Pic Saint-Loup was elevated to AOC status in 2016 in recognition of the region’s consistently outstanding wines. Named after the peak which bears the same name, the waters here are pristine, and the south-facing vineyards embrace the cool breezes of the Mediterranean.

La Closiere is an 80/20 split of the region’s iconic Syrah and Grenache. Small barrels are used for the Syrah (half of them new), while the Grenache is left to its own devices in larger 2,000L foudres. At 15% alcohol level, this is a hefty beast of a red but retains a beautiful elegance thanks to exquisite craftsmanship.

Château Lavabre La Closerie 2018 has been racking up some excellent scores from the world’s top wine critics…

“… a blockbuster bouquet of black fruits, camphor, graphite, ground pepper, and cured meats. With a touch more finesse and focus compared to the appellation release, it's full-bodied and has a beautifully balanced, concentrated, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish…”

“Blueberries, blackberries and licorice notes mark the nose, supported by hints of crushed stone and spicy oak. It's full-bodied and ripe but still balanced, with a more streamlined feel than the other Lavabre reds, along with silky tannins and a long, licorice-laden finish.”

“Opulent! Incredibly concentrated… Lots of sweetness but at the same time it isn't sweet. Fig molasses. Coal dust. Graphite. Caraway. Lots of texture on those tannins… Huge power and broad, glossy, muscled shoulders. Nothing understated about this wine."

Ludovic Roussillon is one of the top viticulteurs in Bordeaux’s Entre-Deux-Mers. He knows how to coax the very best out of his soils to get the most flavour in his grapes. Work hard in the vineyard and the wine almost makes itself, he says. We’ve worked with Ludovic for a number of years, enjoying both his red and his white from Château Le Coin. This is another wine from his vineyards – mostly Merlot, with a little Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon – all vinified to bring out the fruit richness, supported by sleek tannins.

Rethink Bordeaux with this supple, generously fruity, rounded red. It’s already drinking really well, with or without food. Roast beef, full flavoured pasta dishes, charcuterie, cheese – this wine is very versatile.

As you’d expect from a wine dominated by Durif, this is a whopper of a red. It was carefully crafted in the darkest corner of the cellar. Why? Because it’s the special project of rising star winemaker David Joeky and he didn’t want anyone to take a look or taste it until he was absolutely ready. So every evening, after the rest of the crew had left, David would retire to the furthest corner of the cellar, where he’d stationed his special tanks of dark, spicy Durif and ripest, peppery Shiraz. We think he’s ‘blended a blinder’ as the locals say. It’s firm and full, yet abundant in gloriously ripe, liquorice and spice scented fruit with an underlying note of oak. Smooth enough to sip on its own, but even better with hearty red meat dishes.

This wine is what we term a 'cleanskin', or the Italian, an Edizione Limitata. It's a top-quality wine with minimal information on the label – part of the deal of getting 5-star Brunello at a great price. What we can say is that it comes from a beautiful estate in Castelnuova Berardenga, in the south of Chianti Classico. The Romans were the first to plant vines here, while its buildings date back to 1099.

The current owners purchased it in 1984 and, in a very short time, have made its wines some of the most sought after of the region. It is 100% organic and solar powered too. From the warm 2017 vintage, this Brunello offers a panoply of ripe cherry, plum, rose and violet notes, with polished tannins. Open early and decant or cellar.

RedHeads was born in 2003 when Tony Laithwaite and a group of ambitious young visionaries turned a former restaurant into a winery like no other. The mission: to liberate fine grapes from the ‘big guys’, to empower hard working small time growers and to give winemakers complete creative freedom. By day they’d toil for big wine companies, by night they’d moonlight at RedHeads on wines they’d always dreamt of making.

16 years later RedHeads has won several Trophies, more than 100 Golds – and lots of customers. It's no surprise to see weighty, complex Esulé add to that tally. It's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and rare McLaren Vale Cabernet Franc – only made possible by RedHeads' close relationships with the region's very best grape growers.